Vented roof and wall system

ABSTRACT

A wall and roof venting system comprising a wall having an outer layer disposed outwardly of an inner layer with a plurality of spacers disposed therebetween to provide a wall air flow channel between the wall layers. Exterior air enters at the bottom of the wall and vented air is discharged near the top of the wall to reduce heat transfer into the building. Preferably, vented air flows into a roof air flow channel disposed between a first roof layer and a second roof layer maintained in spaced apart relation by a plurality of roof spacers therebetween. A vent component is disposed in a gap in the upper roof layer at or near the top end of the roof to beneficially disperse and/or utilize the vented air from the air flow channels. The wall and roof spacers have openings therein to permit vented air to flow through the respective channels.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/134,534 filed May 20, 2005, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,231,744on Jun. 19, 2007, which claimed the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/586,692 filed Jul. 8, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

The field of the present invention relates generally to wall and roofsystems, particularly metal roof installations, that are configured tofacilitate air circulation between layers of the wall and/or roof andvent the heated air therefrom. More particularly, this invention relatesto such vented roof and wall systems that are configured to reduce theheat transfer into the structure from the roof and wall. Even moreparticularly, this invention is further configured to provideenvironmental benefits, such as improved interior air circulation andthe production of hot water and electricity.

B. Background

Many structures utilize metal roof systems to protect the interior ofthe structure from exposure to the elements, including sun, rain, snowand the like. Metal roofs are beneficially utilized on metal, brick,wood and various other structures. Generally, the structure is builtwith interior columns that support a series of rafters or beams attachedat the top of the columns. The roof rafters or beams are typicallyattached in a sloped manner with a ridge at the top or, particularlywith commercial buildings, at one end of the structure to providepositive downward drainage. Spanning the rafters or beams are a seriesof light gauge metal Z-shaped or C-shaped structural members commonlyreferred to as purlins. The purlins generally run perpendicular to therafters or beams and are configured to be in a spaced apart relationshipto each other provide structural support for the overlying metal roofsystem.

One well known and commonly utilized metal roof system for sloped roofscomprises a decking attached to the purlins and a plurality of metalpanels attached to the decking with a thermal barrier disposed betweenthe decking and the metal panels. The decking material is attached withscrews or bolts directly to the purlins that are attached to the roofrafters or beams. Most often, but not exclusively, the decking consistsof a plurality of wooden panels, such as plywood, spaced side-by-side ontop of the purlins. In many areas of the United States, the thermal andwaterproof barrier is placed over the decking material to resist theflow of water, either from rain or snow, into the structure and toprovide some degree of insulating effect for the interior of thestructure. One common type of thermal barrier comprises roofing (i.e,felt) paper with a plastic covering over the roofing paper. Theuppermost part of the roof, the metal panels, are attached to thedecking on top of the thermal barrier. A very common type of metal panelutilized for metal roofs is the corrugated steel sheet having aplurality of spaced apart and parallel, alternating ribs and valleys.One type of such system is referred to as standing seem metal roofing,which utilizes metal roof panels having a standing rib on one side ofthe roof panel and a hook rib on the opposite side of the panel. Thehook rib of one panel is placed over the standing rib of the adjacentpanel and a machine is utilized to seam or join together the twoadjacent panels by jointly folding over the hook rib and standing rib.Although the rib configuration (i.e., the shape and size) variesconsiderably among the many manufacturers of corrugated panels, thevalleys are generally flat to form a lower plane that is spaced apartfrom the top of the ribs. Threaded screws are typically used to attachthe metal panels to the underlying decking.

The above-described roofing system is generally sufficient to obtain arelatively strong, lightweight and weather resistant roof to protect theinterior and building components of a structure. A common and well knownproblem with all metal roofs, however, results from the high thermalconductivity of the metal material used for the roofing. During coldweather or when snow is on the roof, the metal roof components willcontract. When there is sunshine, even during cold days, the sun willheat up the upper metal panels and the air trapped between the metalpanels and the decking. The heretofore standard configuration for metalroofs results in thermal expansion and contraction (i.e., thermalflexing) of the roof in response to temperature changes during the dayand through the seasons. In areas of the United States where coldertemperatures and/or snow conditions are common in the winter months, thethermal flexing of the roofing material is even more pronounced(particularly on the side of the roof that faces the sun). One wellknown result of this thermal flexing is that the threaded metal screwswill back partially or completely out from the decking to which theywere attached. The heating and cooling of the interior of the structureworsens this problem by creating back pressure that helps work the screwout. In addition to the obvious problem of reducing the structuralintegrity of the roof system, the backing out of the screws creates aconduit for moisture to enter into the space between the metal panelsand the decking. Once moisture enters this area, it begins to result inthe rotting of the thermal barrier and then the underlying decking,thereby damaging the roof and necessitating expensive repairs and/orretrofitting of the roof. Even without the backing out problem, moisturecan build-up in between the metal panels and the decking due to the“sweating” of the metal panels from the temperature fluctuations of theair trapped therein.

Builders of structures having metal roofs have long known of thebenefits of installing a vent along the roof ridge to vent out air fromthe attic or interior of the structure. Early vents were as simple as anopen slot running along the entire length of the ridge. Later vents weredeveloped to allow air to escape but prevent moisture and other elementsfrom entering the interior of the structure. The ridge vents allow airto vent from the structure by convection airflow and by suction fromwind blowing across the roof. Air vents added to the eave (or soffit) ofthe structure improved airflow by providing passive ventilation throughthe introduction of fresh ambient air into the attic or interior. Asstale, hot air is withdrawn from the structure by convection and/or windsuction at the ridge vent, fresh ambient air is drawn into the attic orstructure at the eave vent.

Other inventors have developed a variety of systems for the convectionof air from structures having metal roofs. For instance, U.S. Pat. No.5,765,329 to Huang describes roof venting system for metal roofs usingtwo sets of corrugated metal sheets with spacers between the sheets tovent hot air to the atmosphere through a plurality of apertures in thecorrugated sheets for improved heat radiation, heat insulation and thewithdrawal of gasses from the interior space of the building. U.S. Pat.No. 5,826,383 to Garrison describes a roof venting system that utilizesridge venting and eave venting to vent hot air from the interior of thebuilding while preventing water, debris and pests from entering theinterior of the building. U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,953 to Rotter describes aroof ridge ventilation system for metal roofs to allow vapors inside thebuilding to vent out through an air permeable, resilient member locatedat the roof ridge. U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,848 to McConnohie describes abracket for use to attach a new metal roof over the ribbed panels of anexisting corrugated metal roof.

A metal roof system configured to solve the thermal flexing problemsdescribed above is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,412 to Cooper (the'412 patent), one of the present inventors. The disclosure of the '412patent is incorporated herein by this reference. In summary, the roofsystem described in the '412 patent comprises a lower wooden deckinglayer, an upper metal panel layer and a spacer disposed between thedecking and metal panels. In certain parts of the United States it isadvantageous to include a thermal barrier layer between the decking andthe spacers to further protect the decking. The decking is generallyattached to the roof rafters, or to purlins attached to the roofrafters, with the use of screws and the like, as are suitable forsecurely fastening the decking to the structure. Typically, the deckingis made from a plurality of plywood panels laid side-by-side across theentire roof of the structure. The metal panels can comprise a pluralityof corrugated metal sheets joined together side-by-side across the roof(i.e., standing seam roof system) and attached to the spacers on thedecking utilizing metal screws or other fastening devices for securelyfastening the metal panels to the spacer. The metal panels are joined tothe spacers at the flat valleys.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention described in the '412patent, the spacer comprises a shaped member, such as a z-shaped purlin,configured to have a generally planar top section to abut the planarsurface formed by the flat valleys of the metal panels, a generally flatbottom section to abut the planar surface of the decking and a centersection that vertically disposes the top and bottom sections in a spacedapart relationship. The bottom section of the spacer attaches to thedecking or the rafters or purlins under the decking using theappropriate wood or metal screws. The metal panels attach to the topsection of the spacer at the flat valley portions of the metal panelsusing metal screws or the like. The center section of the spacerincludes one or more openings therein to form an airflow cavity betweenthe decking and the metal panels. In the preferred embodiment, thecenter section has a plurality of openings sized and configured so as tonot substantially reduce the strength and carrying capability of thespacer.

Although the roof system of the '412 patent works well to increase airflow beneath the metal roof panels and reduce the effect of thermalchanges on the roof system, an improved venting system that cooperateswith such a roof installation is needed to further facilitate thecirculation of air so as to better obtain the benefits therefrom. Aswell known in the art, many commercial roofs are configured to begenerally flat, as opposed to the typical home roof having a centrallydisposed ridge, with only a slight degree of incline from the top orhigh end to the bottom or low end. Most commercial roofs have a parapetwall around the outer edges of the roof that has one or more drainageopenings therein on at least the sides and the lower end to drain wateroff the roof, generally to the ground below. Typically, the metal roofof commercial buildings extends from parapet to parapet.

As is well known in the building and roofing industries, many modernbuildings are constructed with materials and are configured in a mannerthat is designed to provide environmental benefits for operation and useof the building. In fact, many buildings are evaluated on theenvironmental friendliness of the completed structure. With regard toroof systems, many building contractors and owners desire to have a“green roof” that, in addition to satisfying the usual structureprotection requirements, utilizes improved materials and systems toreduce the cost of using the building (i.e., lower electricityconsumption by reducing the requirements to heat and/or cool thebuilding interior), which also benefits the environment through reducedgeneration of electricity by fossil fuels or other means. Examples ofsuch materials and systems are well known and include the use of metal(i.e., recyclable) roof panels or shingles, solar panels mounted to theroof so as to directly produce electricity, roof mounted solar heatedpiping systems to produce hot water for pools and hot water supplysystems, and roof coverings, coatings or insulation to better insulatethe roof and reduce the summer heating or winter cooling effect thereon.Metal roofs also have the advantage of a relatively highstrength-to-weight ratio, which reduce the stresses on the otherstructure components and allows metal roofing to be used to cover oldroofing materials, which reduces the need to remove the old materialsand dispose of them in landfills and other disposal sites. Pipingsystems are also known to divert heated water through the floor of thestructure so as to reduce the need to heat the structure or cool waterthrough the floor to reduce the need to cool the structure. To assist incharacterizing and evaluating the environmental performance of differentstructures, the United States Green Building Council (the “USGBC”)developed a rating system to compare the environmental, economic, healthand productivity performance of a “green building” to a conventionalbuilding. With this rating system, known as the Leadership in Energy &Environmental Design or (“LEED”), a building is evaluated with achecklist that allows the building to earn points or credits for meetingspecific identified performance criteria and obtain a Leed certificationlevel (i.e., silver, gold or platinum levels). In addition to the use of“green” materials and systems resulting in reduced operating costs forthe building, a higher rating level can affect the availability ofgrants and/or other funding for the building. In general, the use ofmetal for the roof is known to contribute points toward thecertification of a building as “green” under the above-mentionedstandards.

In addition to providing a building that is more economical to operate,building contractors and owners generally desire to provide a structurethat is healthy to live or work in. Unfortunately, for many people theinterior of their home or office may not be that healthy of anenvironment due to the circulation of air through the building thatcarries dust, pollen or other allergens or pollutants. For these peoplespecifically, and others in general, the interior air of the building inwhich they live or work is known to cause breathing, allergy and otherhealth problems that can substantially reduce the quality and enjoymentof their lives. To address this concern, a number of homes, officebuildings and other structures have been built with or modified toincorporate air filtration systems that are configured to remove or atleast substantially reduce the dust, allergens, pollutants and othermaterials in the air being circulated in the building. A variety ofdifferent air filtration devices, including filter systems having HEPAor similar filters, are well known for use in cleaning the interior airof a building. Generally, these devices are placed in the stream of aircoming into the building to remove the dust, allergens, pollutants orother materials therein so that a substantially clean stream of air canbe circulated inside the building.

One area of the building that has been generally not addressed withregard to improved environmental performance is the exterior wall.Although a variety of exterior wall materials have been developed toprovide long life and, to some extent, reduce the heat transfer into thebuilding, wall systems have not changed much over the years. Despite thefact that much of a building's exposure to the elements along the wallsof the building, specific systems for reducing the heat transfer intothe building through the wall are not generally commercially available.

What is needed, therefore, is an improved venting system for roofinstallations, particularly metal roof installations, and for walls thattie into such roof systems, particularly those utilized on commercialbuildings and the like. It is particularly desirable to provide aventing system for roofs and walls that is configured to cooperate withan air circulating/venting system, such as that described in the '412patent or which is otherwise utilized. The preferred venting systemshould be configured to more beneficially vent the air from between anupper layer of roofing material and the lower layer of roofingmaterials, such as between metal roof panels and the underlying woodsheathing, and from between an outer wall layer and an inner wall layer.The system should be relatively simple to install and not addsubstantially to the cost of the typical roof and wall systems. In aneven more preferred system, a vented roof and wall system is desiredthat utilizes the vented air for purposes of improving the aircirculated to the interior of the building, providing hot water for usein or around the building and to provide a source of electricity for thebuilding.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The improved vented wall and roof system of the present inventionprovides the benefits and solves the problems identified above. That isto say, the present invention discloses a wall and roof venting systemfor metal and other types of roof installations, that can be utilizedwith roofs having an air circulation system incorporated therein, suchas that described in the '412 patent, and which is effective at ventingair from the roof system. The venting system of the present invention isadaptable to new wall and roof installations and is both relativelysimple and economical to install. In one configuration, the wall androof venting system better vents the heated air from between the outerand inner wall layers and from between the upper and lower roof layersto reduce the problems that are known to be associated with thermalflexing. In the preferred embodiment, the wall and roof system isconfigured to utilize the vented air for purposes of supplying a betterquality (i.e., cleaner/filtered) air to the interior of the building,providing heated air that assists in warming water passing through aroof piping system, which is preferably configured to also be heated bythe sun, to supply hot water for use in or near the building, andgenerating electricity for use in or near the building. In a preferredconfiguration, due to the known air circulation that results, the upperroof layer is a metal panel or shingle system and the lower layer is awood sheathing, such as plywood or the like, that is separated by aplurality of generally Z-shaped spacers. Alternatively, various othermaterials can be utilized for the upper and/or lower roof layers. In apreferred configuration of the wall system, the outer siding layer isseparated from the sheathing by a plurality of generally Z-shapedspacers. In the preferred configurations for both the wall and roofsystems, a radiant barrier is disposed between the upper/outer andlower/inner layers.

In one general aspect of the present invention, the roof venting systemis configured for a roof having a top end, a lower end, a first side anda second side with a lower roof layer, an upper roof layer and one ormore spacers, such as the Z-shaped members disclosed in the '412 patent,disposed between and interconnecting the lower roof layer and the upperroof layer. The spacers configured to maintain the upper roof layer inspaced apart relation to the lower roof layer and provide an air flowchannel therebetween. A gap is provided in the upper roof layergenerally at or near the top end of the roof for placement of a roofvent component. As set forth below, the roof vent component is generallyconfigured to beneficially disperse and/or utilize the vented air thatflows upward from the bottom end of the roof toward the top end of theroof through the air flow channel. In one configuration, the roof ventcomponent comprises a vent support member enclosing the gap and one ormore vents attached to the vent support member for venting the ventedair to the environment from the air flow channel. One or more fans canbe installed on the upper roof layer, generally near the bottom end ofthe roof and in fluid flow communication with the air flow channel, todischarge outside air into the air flow channel. In the preferredembodiment, the roof vent component comprises a roof piping systemhaving one or more pipes that configured to receive water from a sourceof water, such as a municipal water supply or a well. The roof pipingsystem is placed in fluid communication with the air flow channel sothat the vented air will pass across the pipes. Preferably, the roofpiping system is particularly configured to facilitate the transfer heatfrom the vented air to the water in the pipes to produce hot water foruse in the structure or elsewhere. The roof piping system can dischargethe hot water to one or more storage tanks and/or to a floor pipingsystem to heat the floor and, therefore, the interior of the structure.Also in the preferred embodiment, the roof has a translucent sectionconfigured to allow heat from the sun to heat the pipes of the pipingsystem and the water carried thereby. A water filtration apparatus ishydraulically interconnected with the piping system to filter and/ortreat the water before and/or after it is heated in the piping system.In one embodiment, the vented air is vented out vents after heating thepipes in the piping system. In the preferred embodiment, a ventcollector at the top end of the roof is configured to direct the ventedair into a duct system for distribution as interior air. Preferably, thevented air is filtered by an air filter apparatus prior to distributionas interior air. For use in the winter, the heated air is directed intothe structure's interior to heat the interior. In the summer or warmermonths, the vented air is cooled by an air cooling apparatus prior todistribution as interior air. In another embodiment, the roof ventsystem includes an electrical generating apparatus in fluid flowcommunication with the vented air.

In another general aspect of the present invention, a wall ventingsystem is provided that, preferably, discharges vented air flowingtherethrough into the roof venting system for discharge or use thereby.In one embodiment, the wall venting system comprises an inner wall layerand an outer wall layer that are maintained in spaced apart relation bya plurality of wall spacers disposed therebetween to define a wall airflow channel. In the preferred embodiment, the wall spacers aregenerally Z-shaped members that have holes therein to allow the ventedair to flow from the bottom of the wall to the top of the wall. Theexterior air enters the wall air flow channel at or near the bottom ofthe wall through a wall intake vent. The vented air flowing through thewall air flow channel can be discharged out the top of the wall ordirected into the roof air flow channel to be beneficially dispersed orutilized by the roof vent component.

In yet another general aspect of the present invention, either or boththe roof and wall air flow channels are provided with a rigid memberthat defines an inner air flow channel and an outer flow channel. Airconvection through both of the inner and outer air flow channels furtherreduces the amount of heat transfer from the exterior of the roof orwall to the interior of the building. The dual air flow channels can beprovided by utilizing a single roof or wall spacer with the rigid memberbeing disposed between pairs of adjacent spacers or they can be providedby utilizing a first spacer between the rigid member and the inner layerand a second spacer between the rigid member and the outer layer of theroof or wall. If desired, a vane apparatus can be utilized to generateelectricity in response to the flow of air through one or more channels.Alternatively, flowing water from a source of water can be utilized torotate the vane apparatus and generate electricity.

Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is toprovide a wall and roof venting system that provides the advantagesdiscussed above and overcomes the disadvantages and limitationsassociated with presently available wall and roof venting systems.

It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide aneffective and economical wall and roof venting system for use with metaland other roof installations that is adaptable to those installationswhich are utilizing a roof air circulation system, such as thatdescribed in the '412 patent.

It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide awall and roof venting system that improves the environmental, economic,health and productivity performance of the building as a whole so as toprovide a more “green” building than is obtainable with conventionalwall and roof systems.

It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide awall and roof venting system for metal and other roofs that isreasonably straightforward and economical to install.

It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide awall and roof venting system that is configured to direct the vented airfor use with systems that provide clean and/or cool air to the interiorof the building, hot water for use in the building and/or electricityfor use in the building.

It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide aroof venting system that comprises an air flow channel disposed betweenan upper roof layer and a lower roof layer with a fluid piping systemdisposed in the air flow channel and configured such that the vent airheats the fluid in the pipes, a thermally translucent section in theupper roof layer disposed generally above the fluid piping system toheat the fluid in the piping system, an air filtration system to filterthe vented air before discharging the air into the interior of thebuilding, a cooling system to cool the air prior to discharge into thebuilding and/or an electrical production mechanism to utilize thethermal properties of the vented air to produce electricity.

It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide awall and roof venting system that comprises an air flow channel disposedbetween an inner and outer wall layer, separated by a plurality ofspacer members, that connects to an air flow channel disposed between anupper roof layer and a lower roof layer, also separated by a pluralityof spacer members, so as to receive air into the wall system and ventheated air out of the roof system so as to reduce heat transfer into thebuilding, thereby providing a generally more environmentally friendly or“green” building.

The above and other objectives of the present invention will beexplained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures and thedescription of the preferred embodiment which follows. As set forthherein, the present invention resides in the novel features of form,construction, mode of operation and combination of processes presentlydescribed and understood by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments and the bestmodes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a metal roof installation incorporating theventing system configured according to a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an isolated side view of the roof installation showing thecomponents of the venting system of FIG. 1 in use with a roofcirculating system configured according to that described in the '412patent;

FIG. 3 is a view of the roof installation from just below the ventingsystem showing the components of the venting system of FIG. 1 in usewith a roof circulating system configured according to that described inthe '412 patent;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the roofventing system of the present invention showing use of a piping systemto heat water and an air distribution system to provide quality air tothe interior of a structure;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a floor having a floor piping system foruse with the roof venting system of the present invention for heating orcooling the interior space of the structure;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a upper and lower roof layers with an airfilter disposed in the air flow channel therebetween;

FIG. 7 is a partial cut-away side perspective view of a building havinga vented wall and roof system configured according to one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 8 is an isolated side view of an alternative configuration for thevented wall and roof system of the present invention showing the use ofa spacer having brackets to support a rigid thermal layer defining twoair flow paths;

FIG. 9 is an isolated side view of another alternative configuration forthe vented wall and roof system of the present invention showing the useof a upper/outer and lower/inner spacers, separated by a rigid thermallayer, to define the two air flow paths;

FIG. 10 is an isolated side view of an alternative configuration for thevented wall and roof system of the present invention showing use of twoair paths, with one of the air paths being used to vent air and theother being utilized to generate electricity from water flowingtherethrough; and

FIG. 11 is a partial cut-away side perspective view of a building havingseparate, non-connected vented wall and roof systems configuredaccording to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the figures where like elements have been given likenumerical designations to facilitate the reader's understanding of thepresent invention, the preferred embodiments of the present inventionare set forth below. The enclosed figures and drawings are merelyillustrative of the preferred embodiments and represent severaldifferent ways of configuring the present invention. Although specificcomponents, materials, configurations and uses are illustrated, itshould be understood that a number of variations to the components andto the configuration of those components described herein and in theaccompanying figures can be made without changing the scope and functionof the invention set forth herein. For purposes of this disclosure,references are generally to use of the present invention with the metalroof system of the '412 patent, however, it is understood that thedisclosure herein applies to other roof systems, whether made from metalor other materials, that utilize similar components or configurations toallow air to circulate between layers of the roof system, such asbetween an upper roof layer comprising metal panels and a lower rooflayer comprising plywood sheathing.

A venting system for roof installations that is installed out of thecomponents and configured pursuant to the present invention is showngenerally as 10 in the figures. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1through 3, venting system 10 is configured for metal roof 12 and isshown in use on a commercial building having high or top end 14, anopposite low or bottom end 16 and opposing first side 18 and second side20. A portion of the building's wall, referred to as the parapet 22, isdisposed around the outer periphery of the building and extends abovethe roof. Upper roof layer 24, which in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1through 3 is comprised of a series of adjacent metal roof panels havinga plurality of ribs 26 and valleys 28 between the ribs 26, is disposedin spaced apart relation above lower roof layer 30, which in theconfiguration shown is comprised of a plurality of plywood woodsheathing members. As well known by those skilled in the art, lower rooflayer 30 is fixedly attached to the roof supporting structure, such asrafters or purlins attached to rafters (not shown). To obtain the mostbenefits from the present invention, venting system 10 is generallydisposed at or near top end 14 of roof 12. As described in the '412patent, a plurality of roof spacers 32, such as z-shaped members havingholes 34 (shown in FIG. 3) in the vertical portion thereof, are disposedbetween and generally interconnect lower roof layer 30 and upper rooflayer 24 to maintain the two layers in a spaced apart relation and toprovide an air flow channel 36 therebetween which allows air to flowupward (i.e., generally from bottom end 16 to top end 14) between thelower 30 and upper 24 roof layers. In prior art roof installations, themetal panels or other members of upper roof layer 24 extend all the wayto parapet 22 at top end 14 of the building. In the present invention,upper roof layer 24 does not extend the entirely to parapet 22, therebyproviding a gap 38 between upper roof layer 24 and parapet 22 at top end14. As shown in the figures and described in detail below, a roof ventcomponent is generally disposed in gap 38 and configured to beneficiallyhandle (i.e., vent) or utilize the vented air in air flow channel 36 toprovide the improved roof venting system 10 of the present invention.

As best shown in FIG. 2, in one configuration of venting system 10 theroof vent component comprises a vent support member 40 positioned in gap38 between the end of upper roof layer 24 and the parapet 22 at top end14. In a preferred embodiment, vent support member 40 is an elongatedsection of sheet metal that extends along the entire length (i.e.,generally from first side 18 to second side 20) of top end 14 of roof 12and which comprises an overlap section 42, a first upstanding section44, a center section 46 and a second upstanding section 48. In thepreferred embodiment overlap section 42 is generally planar, howeverother non-planar configurations can also be utilized, and configured toextend over the end of upper roof layer 24, as shown in FIG. 2, asufficient distance to provide support therefor and reduce thelikelihood of water intrusion underneath. First upstanding section 44 isa short generally vertical section that interconnects overlap section 42with center section 46. Center section 46 interconnects first upstandingsection 44 and second upstanding section 48 and is configured to supportvent pipe 50. Second upstanding section 48 is disposed in a generallyvertical configuration or perpendicular to center section 46 anddisposed in a generally abutting relationship with parapet 22. Althougha preferred embodiment of vent support member 40 is configured asdescribed above, those skilled in the art will recognize that numerousother configurations for vent support member 40 are also possible. Inone configuration, overlap section 42 is of sufficient length to providea twelve inch overlap, center section 46 is four inches long and secondupstanding section 48 is six inches high. In a preferred embodiment ofventing system 10 of the present invention, a connecting member 52, suchas a nail or screw, is used to secure second upstanding section 48 toparapet 22.

To prevent water or debris from getting between second upstandingsection 48 and parapet 22, the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention also utilizes a flashing member 54, as shown in FIG. 2, thatis attached to parapet 22 and extends over the top of second upstandingmember 48. Various glues or other adhesives can be utilized to attachthe upper end of flashing member 54 to the parapet 22. Preferably,flashing member 52 is configured to extend generally downward so as toprevent water or debris from getting between second upstanding section48 and parapet 22. Flashing member 54 can be configured with one or moreangles, as shown, to provide the desired coverage. In one embodiment,the upper end of flashing member 54 extends partially into parapet 22 toprovide a more secure attachment to parapet 22. To prevent water ordebris from entering into roof installation 12 beneath overlap section42, a waterproof barrier or other device can be utilized at the end ofoverlap section 42. In addition, it may be preferable to utilize one ormore securing mechanisms, such as screws, rivets or other connectors, tosecure overlap section 42 to upper roof layer 24 at or near the end attop end 14.

As shown in FIG. 3, because the ribs 26 of the roof panels that make upupper roof layer 24 run generally perpendicular to overlap section 42and are displace approximately two inches above the valley 28 of themetal panel, a plurality of small openings 56 will result. Each opening56 will be framed by overlap section 42 on the top, a pair of generallyparallel ribs 26 on the sides and the valley 28 between the pair of ribs26 on the bottom. To prevent water or debris from getting into the roofinstallation 12, it will generally be necessary to block of each ofopenings 56 with a small section of sheet metal or other material (notshown).

Positioned on center section 46 at various intervals along the length ofvent support member 40 between first side 18 and second side 20 are aplurality of vents 50 to vent air away from inside roof installation 12(i.e., that air which flows in air flow channel 36 between lower rooflayer 30 and upper roof layer 24 through the openings 14 in spacers 32)in the embodiment of the air circulation system described in the '412patent. Generally, vents 50 will be disposed above gap 38 to vent airtherefrom. In one configuration, vents 50 comprise a small section ofcylindrical tubular pipe approximately 6 inches high and approximately2½ inches in diameter. As those skilled in the art will readily know,other configurations for vents 50 are also possible. As also known tothose skilled in the art, it is generally best for vent 50 to be atleast minimally angled at the point where vent 50 attaches to centersection 46 of vent support member 40. To prevent water, debris or pestsfrom entering roof installation 12, vent 50 can be provided with ascreen cover 58 and a flapper-type of mechanism 60 that maintains thevent in a closed condition unless air is being discharged from ventingsystem 10.

To facilitate the flow of vent air in air flow channel 36 in roofinstallation 12 and the discharge of the vented air to the roof ventcomponent (i.e., vent support 40 and vents 50) of venting system 10, thepreferred embodiment of venting system 10 includes at least one fan orother air blowing mechanism 62 located on upper roof layer 24 nearbottom end 16, as shown in FIG. 1. A hole (not shown) can be cut intothe valley 28 of the one or more roof panels that make up upper rooflayer 24 to allow the fans to be in fluid-flow communication with airflow channel 36 between the wood sheathing of lower roof layer 30 andthe metal panels of upper layer 24. Fan 62 is configured to pull airinto the roof installation 12 from the atmosphere and discharge air intoair flow channel 36 so as to cause air to flow out vents 50 located neartop end 14. An example fan 62 is a 800 cfm solar powered air pulling fanthat has a motor disposed inside a fan housing positioned on upper rooflayer 24 which is connected to a source of electrical power, such as oneor more solar panels or the building electrical system. Preferably, fan62 includes a light sensitive switch that is configured to activate fan62 in the sunlight and deactivate it at night (to prevent moist nightair from being pulled into roof installation 12). Alternatively, fan 62can include other timing mechanisms. As stated above, depending on thesize of the building and the need to vent air from roof installation 12,venting system 10 can comprise a plurality of such fans 62.

The preferred embodiment of the roof system 10 of the present inventionis shown in FIGS. 4 through 6. As set forth in more detail below, inthis embodiment, roof 12 is particularly configured for improvedenvironmental, health and economic purposes by including systems togenerate hot water, cleaner interior air, cool interior air and/orelectricity. Roof 12 includes a facia member 66 at the bottom endthereof that includes an intake vent 68 in the eave for air flow intoair flow channel 36. In a first configuration of this embodiment, theroof vent component comprises a liquid flow piping system 70 having aninlet 72 connected to a supply of water, shown schematically as 74 andcan comprise a municipal water system or a well, and an outlet 76 thatis connected to a hot water distribution system in the structure or aliquid storage unit 77, such as a hot water heater tank located in thestructure (as shown) or a tank or other storage unit outside thestructure. Piping system 70 is disposed in air flow channel 36,preferably in gap 38 at or near top end 14 of roof 12, such that thevented air, shown as 78, will flow over and across piping system 70. Thewater flowing in piping system 70, shown as 80, will typically beambient or cold water. As described above and in the '412 patent, thevented air 78 will be substantially warm or hot and conductivelytransfer some of its heat to the water 80 flowing in piping system 70.To assist in this transfer, it is preferred that the pipes 82 that makeup piping system 70 be manufactured out of materials that are somewhatconducive to the heat transfer between the vented air 78 and water 80.As well known in the art, certain metals, such as copper and aluminum,certain thermoplastics, glass and other materials are well suited to theefficient transfer of heat from vented air 78 to water 80. Variousconfigurations for pipes 82 in piping system 70 can be utilized toaccomplish the desired results of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 4, piping system 70 can comprise a first curvilinear section 84 anda second straight section 86 to provide additional flow path for water80 to pass through to obtain the desired warming. Alternatively, pipingsystem 70 can comprise either curvilinear section 84 or straight section86 or one or more of each. Piping system 70 can also be configured inseparate, interconnected segments for ease of and/or reduced cost ofinstallation. In one configuration, pipe 82 used for curvilinear section84 can have a diameter of two to four inches and pipe 82 used forstraight section 86 can have a diameter of three to four inches.Numerous other configurations for piping system 70 are suitable for usewith the venting system 10 of the present invention.

In use with the venting configuration shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, thehot vented air 78 will flow through air flow channel 36 from bottom end16 to top end 14, assisted by fans 62 if desired, and pass across pipes82 of piping system 70 to heat the water 80 passing through pipes 82,which will be discharged through outlet 76 for use in the structure (ifdesired), and then be vented to the environment through vents 50 on ventsupport member 40. As set forth in more detail below, water 80discharged through outlet 76 may be too hot for regular home hot wateruses, such as washing, showering and the like. If so, the water 80discharged from piping system 70 should either be allowed to sit in atank, such as tank 77, or be mixed with cold or cool water until cooledsufficiently for the typical home uses. For commercial buildings,including multiple unit dwellings and manufacturing plants, the heatedwater 80 from piping system 70 may be able to be utilized without suchstorage or mixing. As an example, laundries, restaurants and otherfacilities that utilize significant amounts of hot water may be able tobenefit greatly from this supply of hot water 80. As will be recognizedby those skilled in the art, the venting system 10 described above andhereinafter will be able to substantially reduce the costs associatedwith providing heated water for the building owner or operator of thefacilities used therein.

For improved hot water production, the roof vent component of the roofventing system 10 of the present invention further comprises a thermallytranslucent section, shown as 88, disposed generally above piping system70 so as to allow sunlight to contact pipes 82 of piping system 70. In apreferred embodiment, upper roof layer 24 ends before top end 14 andtranslucent section 88 covers gap 38 in which piping system 70 ispositioned. Translucent section 88 can be made out of a variety ofmaterials, such as glass, tempered glass and plexiglass, that allow asubstantial amount of the sun's solar heating therethrough so as toprovide additional heat, in addition to that from vented air 78, to warmthe water 80 flowing through piping system 70. To facilitate thisheating, it is preferred that pipes 70 be made out of materials thatbest transfer heat or be coated with material to facilitate such heattransfer. As an example, black PVC pipe or copper pipe painted black canbe utilized for pipes 82. As another example, piping system 70 cancomprise various new composite or other materials, such as thecrossed-linked polyethylene material Aquapex® from Uponor Wirsbo. Aswill be recognized by those skilled in the art, care must be taken toselect materials for piping system 70 and translucent section 88 thatwill provide long life, generally resistant to weather and sunlight, aresuitable for use above the house and will not easily break or shatterupon contact (i.e., a baseball against translucent section 88). In apreferred embodiment of this configuration, translucent section 88extends from first side 18 to second side 20 of the roof 12 and issufficiently wide to substantially expose all of gap 38 and/or pipingsystem 70 therein to sunlight. In one configuration of the presentinvention, a residential home would have a width of two feet and acommercial installation would have a width of four feet. The materialutilized for translucent section 88 can be approximately ¼″ to ⅜″ thick.As is understood by those skilled in the art, the dimensions oftranslucent section 88 can be substantially varied and still accomplishthe objectives of the present invention.

To improve the operating life of piping system 88 and the quality ofwater provided to the homeowner, manufacturer or other owner/operator ofthe structure on which venting system 10 of the present invention isutilized, a water filtration apparatus 90 is included therewith. Asshown in FIG. 4, water filtration apparatus 90 can be disposed betweenthe source of water 74 and inlet 72 so as to provide suitably pure waterfor the water 80 in piping system 70 to reduce the likelihood or preventcorrosion of pipes 82. As known to those skilled in the art, however, itis generally not necessary or even desirable to utilize perfectly purewater, which under certain circumstances can actually increase the rateof corrosion of pipes 82. In an alternative configuration, waterfiltration apparatus 90 is located after outlet 76 to filter the waterexiting piping system 70 before it is used in the structure or stored intank 77. Various types of filtration apparatuses are suitable for waterfiltration apparatus 90 of the present invention, including reverseosmosis, ultra violet light, chemical and other filtering systems. Inaddition, water filtration apparatus 90 can comprise or include a watersoftener mechanism that reduces corrosion and the likelihood of calciumbuildup in piping system 70.

As discussed above, water 80 from outlet 76 can be utilized for thetypical home hot water uses, such as showering, baths, cleaning and thelike, or utilized for various commercial purposes, including laundryfacilities, dish washing, equipment cleaning, processing and the like. Aknown use for water 80 from venting system 10 is to pass the waterthrough a floor piping system 92, as shown in FIG. 5. As known in theart, floor piping system 92 comprises a plurality of floor pipes 94,such as the crossed-linked polyethylene material described above,embedded in the floor 96 of the structure. Hot water passing through thepipes 94 heat the floor and radiates up through the floor, warming theinterior of the structure. As shown in FIG. 5, floor piping system 92can be divided into one or more sections to allow the user to controlthe heating of the floor in various rooms or sections of the structureand to avoid excessive heat loss from having to travel the entire lengthof pipes 94. Floor piping system 92 can be connected to a environmentalcontrol system to facilitate this control. Typical floor heating systemsuse hot water from the hot water heater or other conventional hot watersupply systems. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention,floor piping system 92 receives hot water 80 from piping system 70,thereby substantially reducing the cost of producing the water necessaryto effectively heat floor 96 and the interior of the structure. As such,the venting system 10 of the present invention will provide anadditional environmental benefit of lowering the usage of natural gas,electricity or other fuel source for heating the water for floor pipingsystem 92. An additional benefit, achievable with floor heating systemsin general is that they reduce the amount of dirt, dust, allergens orother materials in the interior air of the building by reducing or eveneliminating the need for hot blowing air to heat the structure. In thewarmer, summer months the floor piping system 92 can be used to passcool water through floor 96 to assist in cooling the interior of thestructure.

If a conventional heating system is utilized (i.e., no floor heatingsystem or in addition thereto), then venting system 10 of the presentinvention can be utilized to provide the heated air for heating theinterior of the structure. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the roofvent component of venting system 10 is a vent collector 98, which can beconfigured as or incorporated in the “Boston Ridge” arrangement shown,at the top end 14 of roof 12 that is configured to receive vented air 78from air flow channel 36 after it passes around piping system 70 in gap38 and warms the pipes 82 therein (for use as described above). In thisconfiguration, the vent support member 40 and vents 50 described aboveare not utilized to vent vented air 78 from air flow channel 36.Instead, vent collector 98 distributes vented air 78 to a duct system100 in the structure so that it may distribute interior air 102 insidethe structure and warm the interior thereof. Use of venting system 10 inthis manner will substantially reduce the cost and environmental impactof having to heat air for circulation inside the structure by reducingor eliminating the need to utilize a separate space heating system. Ifno cooling system, as explained below, is utilized with venting system10, then it is preferred that vent collector 98 include valve 104, suchas a thermostatically controlled flapper valve having a fan (i.e., 45cfm fan), to allow vented air 78 to be vented outside of the structurewhen the vented air 78 is not desired or needed for heating the interiorof the structure, such as during the summer months. In an alternativeembodiment, not shown, vent system 10 includes both the vent supportmember 40 and vents 50 configuration described above and vent collector98 and a control system to allow the owner/occupier of the structure tochoose between venting vented air 78 out vents 50 or use vented air 78for heating the interior of the structure. In another alternativeembodiment, also not shown, venting system 10 utilizes the heated airsupply system described above without the hot water configuration (i.e.,piping system 70). As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, a“greener” roof system and a more environmentally friendly overallstructure can be obtained by utilizing both the heated air and hot waterconfigurations of venting system 10.

To improve the quality of interior air 102 going inside the structure,the preferred embodiment of venting system 10 of the present inventionincludes an air filter apparatus 106 in FIGS. 4 and 6. In theconfiguration shown in FIG. 4, air filter apparatus 106 is disposed induct system 100 after vented air 78 is discharged from vent collector98. As known to those skilled in the art, air filter apparatus 106 canbe located elsewhere in venting system 10. For instance, air filterapparatus 106 can be located in vent collector 98, gap 38 or (as shownin FIG. 6) in air flow channel 36 to filter vented air as it movesthrough venting system 10. Various types of devices are suitable for airfilter apparatus 106, including dry air filters such as HEPA filtrationand micron filter devices, and various liquid filtration devices. Inaddition, air filter apparatus 36 can include an ultraviolet lightsystem, such as those well known in the art, to remove bacteria fromvented air 78 before it is discharged as interior air 102. Preferably,air filter apparatus 106 is located and configured so the owner, user oroccupant of the structure can replace any replaceable components thereofwithout any undue difficulty. With air filter apparatus 106 in place,the warm interior air 102 being vented into the structure through ductsystem 100 will be somewhat to substantially better than most presentsystems for providing warm air to the interior of a structure. Becauseof venting system 10, this warm, healthier interior air 102 can beprovided with substantially less cost and use of fuel and otherenvironmental resources than present systems.

For use during the warmer summer months, venting system 10 can comprisean air cooling apparatus 108 disposed between vent collector 98 and theinterior of the structure to convert the hot, dry vented air 78 into acool interior air 102. Numerous air cooling devices are suitable for usefor air cooling apparatus 108. Conventional coolant-type air coolingapparatuses 108 can be utilized for venting system 10. Alternatively,cooling apparatus 108 can comprise various concepts from the recentlydeveloped magnetic refrigerator technology that utilize a variety ofalloys, such as a gadolinium-germanium-silicon alloy with a small amountof iron supplement added, to cool vented air 78 prior to entering theinterior of the building. Various other types of air cooling systems canbe utilized for air cooling apparatus 108. One type of cooling devicethat works particularly well with venting system 10 of the presentinvention is an evaporative air type of cooling system which passes theair to be cooled through wetted filters, thereby cooling the air. Thetypical roof type of evaporative air cooling system utilizes a square orrectangular shaped housing having four wettable pads on the sidesthereof, a water distribution mechanism to spray or drip water onto thepads and a fan to draw outside air into the housing through the pads. Asthe air passes through the pads it is cooled by contact with the waterin the pads. In the present invention, the air to be cooled is thevented air 78. Air cooling apparatus can comprise one or more pads thatare connected to a source of water to wet the pads and cool vented air78 as it passes therethrough before being discharged from duct system100 as interior air 102. As is well known, the evaporative air type ofair cooling apparatus 108 is most efficient when hot, dry air is passedthrough the wetted pads. In fact, this type of system is known not towork too well when the air to be cooled is humid. In the presentinvention, the vented air 78 passing through air flow channel 36 will begenerally hot and dry, making it very suitable for use with anevaporative air cooling configuration as air cooling apparatus 108. Themoisture formed because of the heat/cool of the day/night will be takenout from under upper roof layer 24, particularly when upper roof layer24 is made from metal panels or shingles. As a result, roof ventingsystem 10 will be in effect funneling hot, dry air to the evaporativecooling unit for cooling prior to entering the structure as interior air102. The thermostatically controlled valve 104 facilitates theevacuation of the moisture laden air during the morning hours as thevented air 78 in air flow channel 36 begins to heat up. In a preferredembodiment, a solar powered fan is utilized with air cooling apparatus108 to drive the vented air 78 through the pads or other cooling membersof air cooling apparatus 108.

In another embodiment of the present invention, venting system 10 alsocomprises a electrical generating apparatus 110 that is configured toutilize the hot, dry vented air 78 to generate electricity therefrom.Electrical generating apparatus 110 can comprise a thermoacoustic engineto convert the heat from vented air 78 into acoustic power for aheat-driven electrical generator. The use of resonant macrosonicsynthesis or RMS technology to convert harmonic sound waves into energyfor operation of compressors, pumps, refrigeration, comfort airconditioning and as a natural gas converter for processing natural fuelsinto electrical power is still in its infancy stages. Likewise with theuse of traveling-wave thermoacoustic heat engines. However, a number ofsuch devices and uses for such devices have been developed by the LosAlamos National Laboratory and others. As this technology furtherdevelops, it may be able to be efficiently incorporated into the ventingsystem of the present invention so as to improve the “green” qualitythereof. To facilitate such use, the air can be further heated by anadditional heating apparatus (not shown), such as a laser equipped spaceheater or like device that, preferably, uses a low amount of energyitself.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, roof ventingsystem 10 comprises the use of roof vent components piping system 70,translucent section 88, water filtration apparatus 90, floor pipingsystem 92, vent collector 98, air filter apparatus 106 and air coolingapparatus 108. Although various specific examples of these componentsare described above, those skilled in the art will readily recognizethat equivalent function configurations or devices can be readilysubstituted into venting system 10 to obtain the benefits thereof.Venting system 10 of the present invention can be incorporated into theconstruction of a new structure or it can be retrofitted onto anexisting structure (i.e., when it is necessary to repair or replace thestructure's roof). Depending on the structure and the energy and hotwater usage of the owner or occupant thereof, it may be economicallybeneficial to replace an existing roof, even if the existing roof is notin need of replacement. If retrofitting or placement of venting system10 on the structure's roof is not able to be done, then the benefits ofthe venting system 10 of the present invention can be obtained byplacing a secondary structure off from the main structure andincorporating the features of the present invention on the secondarystructure. The basic configuration of the venting system 10 on thesecondary structure would be the same as that described above, exceptthat the hot water, warm air or cool air is transferred to the primarystructure where it is used therein or thereby. In a preferred embodimentof this configuration, storage tank 77 could be larger (i.e., a 500gallon tank) and placed at least partially in the ground where it willbe insulated against temperature loss. In addition, if desired, anon-demand hot water heater can be included as a back-up to the systemdescribed above.

In use, the embodiment of roof venting system 10 described in FIGS. 4through 6 provides an improved environmental, economic and health systemfor owners and occupiers of a structure. Air flows under the eave atbottom end 16 of roof 12 and through the intake vent 68 into air flowchannel 36 disposed between lower roof layer 30 and upper roof layer 24.The vented air 78 will flow up towards top end 14 and pass across pipingsystem 70, heating the water 80 flowing in pipes 82 thereof. Sunlightthrough translucent section 88 will further heat the water 80 flowing inpiping system 70. Preferably, the water is filtered through waterfiltration apparatus 90 to remove impurities which can harm pipingsystem 70 and/or to provide relatively pure water for use in thestructure (i.e., showering, etc.). The heated water 80 can be used for avariety of household and commercial purposes, including washing,cleaning and the like. In the preferred embodiment, vented air 78 willthen flow into vent collector 98 and be directed towards duct system100. Air filter apparatus 106 will filter the air prior to beingdischarged through duct system as interior air 102, thereby improvingthe quality of air inside the structure. The interior air 102 can beheated air to warm the interior of the structure or venting system 10can include an air cooling apparatus 108 to cool interior air 102 and,therefore, the interior of the structure. The air cooling apparatus 106can include a solar powered fan to drive vented air 78 therethrough tothe cool interior air 102. If desired, one or more storage tanks 77 canbe utilized to store hot water until it is needed in the structure. Toimprove the ability of the tank 77 to maintain the temperature of thewater, it can be partially or completely buried in the ground orotherwise insulated. If desired, the structure can include a floorpiping system 92 that receives hot water 80 from venting system 10 so asto heat the interior space of the structure. During warm summer months,floor piping system 92 can receive cool or cold water to help in coolingthe interior of the structure.

An alternative configuration for a vented wall and roof system is shownin FIGS. 7 through 11. In these figures, the benefits of the providingan air flow channel 36 for the roof of a building are also applied tothe building's exterior walls. As shown in FIG. 7, the vented wall androof system, collectively identified as 120, comprises lower roof layer30, upper roof layer 24 and a plurality of roof spacers 32 disposedtherebetween to define air flow channel 36 through which vented air 78flows to vented ridge 98 where the air is vented to the atmosphereand/or utilized as described above. In one embodiment, lower roof layer30 is wooden and comprises an OSB (oriented strand board) sheathing orplywood material. In a preferred configuration, due to the heatconvection properties, upper roof layer 24 comprises a plurality ofmetal roof sheets (i.e., standing seam) or like material. Alternatively,various other materials, including non-metal materials such ascomposition and like materials, can be utilized for upper roof layer 24.In one preferred configuration, spacers 32 comprises a metal, generallyZ-shaped component having a plurality of holes 34, such as one andone-half inch diameter holes three inches on-center, disposed therein toallow vented air 78 to flow through air channel 36. As set forth above,various other shapes and materials can be utilized for spacers 32 anddifferent configurations and spacing for holes 34. In this embodiment,the roof also includes a radiant barrier 122 disposed between the spacer32 and the lower roof layer 32. In a preferred configuration, theradiant barrier 122 is selected to assist in blocking heat from thevented air 78 flowing through air channel 36 from transferring throughlower roof layer 32 into the attic area 124 of the building and toprovide a fireproof layer. Materials suitable for radiant barrier 122are generally well known in the industry.

The vented wall and roof system 120 also comprises the generallyvertical, planar building wall 126, on which is attached an inner walllayer 128, which can comprise a wood layer such as OSB sheathing orplywood. A wall radiant barrier 130 is placed over the inner wall layer128 to, as generally with roof radiant barrier 122 for the roof, assistin preventing heat transfer into the interior of the building and toprovide a fireproof layer. If desired, wall radiant barrier 130 can bethe same or similar material as utilized for roof radiant barrier 122.The outer wall layer 132 can comprise metal, wood or composite sidingsufficient to cover and protect the exterior of the building. Disposedbetween the inner wall layer 128 and outer wall layer 132, and generallyhorizontally extending (i.e., perpendicular to the vertical wall 126),are a plurality of wall spacers 134 that define wall air flow channel136 between inner 128 and outer 132 wall layers. Wall spacers 134 areconfigured to maintain the outer wall layer 132 in spaced apart relationto the inner wall layer 128. As with the roof systems described above,in a preferred configuration wall spacers 134 comprise a metal,generally Z-shaped component having a plurality of holes therein (i.e.,one and one-half inch diameter holes three inches on-center) to allowthe vented air 78 to flow through the wall air flow channel 136 definedbetween the inner 128 and outer 132 wall layers. As with spacers 32,wall spacers 134 can be made into a variety of shapes and out of avariety of different materials and holes 34 can have differentconfigurations and spacing.

The wall system of vented wall and roof system 120 also comprises a wallintake vent 138 for receiving exterior air, shown as 140, from theexterior of the building into wall air flow channel 136. In a preferredembodiment, wall intake vent 138 comprises a screen cover and/or aflapper valve mechanism (not specifically shown) to keep debris, bugsand small animals from entering into wall air flow channel 136. In oneconfiguration, the vented wall and roof system 12 comprises a pluralityof wall intake vents 138 disposed near the bottom of wall 126 (i.e.,near foundation 142) and spaced apart approximately every ten feet or soto facilitate the entry of exterior air 140 into wall air flow channel136. As shown in FIG. 7, exterior air 140 flows into wall intake vents138 and then the vented air 78 flows upward through wall air flowchannel 136 between inner 128 and outer 132 wall layers, into roof airflow channel 36 between upper 24 and lower 30 roof layers and then intovented ridge 98 where vented air 78 is vented to the atmosphere(alternatively, the vented air can be filtered and/or otherwise treatedfor use as interior air 102).

In an alternative configuration for the wall or roof systems of thevented wall and roof system 120, a rigid or semi-rigid layer ofreflective foam board insulation can be utilized in place of the lowerroof layer 30 and roof radiant barrier 122 and/or in place of the innerwall layer 128 and wall radiant barrier 130. An example of suchmaterials is Astro-Board from RaTech Industries and Astro-Foil® fromPactiv Corp. Various other similarly configured materials can be usedfor the combined lower roof layer 30 and roof radiant barrier 122 and/orthe combined inner wall layer 128 and wall radiant barrier 130 and, assuch, are also suitable for use with vented wall and roof system 120.

The vented wall and roof system 120 shown in FIG. 7 is believed to becapable of venting approximately 70% or more of the heat that wouldotherwise be directed against the roof layer of a roof system not havingthe venting capabilities of the present invention (i.e., utilizing a twoinch high Z-shaped spacers 32 and 134). The embodiments of FIGS. 8 and 9are believed to improve the heat dissipating capabilities of the ventedwall and roof system 120 of the present invention, such that upwards of90% or more of the heat would be vented through vented ridge 98.Although FIGS. 8 and 9 refer to the components of the roof system andare provided with reference numerals that correspond thereto, thoseskilled in the art will readily understand that the description providedherein is equally as applicable to the corresponding components of thewall system and, therefore, the following discussion is intended toapply to both the roof and wall systems.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the wall and/or roof systems comprise alarger sized spacer 32 (i.e., a four inch spacer instead of a two inchspacer) that, at least nominally, provides a larger air flow channel.Welded on or otherwise attached at or near the center of the variousspacers 32 are brackets 144, such as L-shaped angle irons, that areconfigured to support the ends of a generally rigid member, such asrigid insulation barrier 146, to define an outer air channel 148 and aninner air channel 150 through which flows an outer vented air flow 152and an inner vented air flow 154, respectively. Various otherapparatuses or devices can be utilized to support the rigid member 146in a manner that defines the outer 148 and inner 150 air channels todirect the air flows 152/154 upward along wall 126 and/or along the roofinstallation 12. To ensure the integrity of the air channels 148/150, itis preferred that the ends of rigid member 146 are substantially sealedto prevent air flow, and therefore heat transfer, between the channels148/150. In a preferred embodiment, this can be achieved by the use ofan aluminum tape or the like (which is preferred to reduce the risk offire transfer between the two channels) that is applied to the ends ofrigid member 146 where they join spacer 32, such as at brackets 144. Inan alternative embodiment, the ends of rigid member 146 can be joineddirectly to spacer 32 without the use of brackets 144 using variousmechanisms or devices readily known to those skilled in the art. Inaddition, although not shown, the system of FIG. 8 can also include theroof radiant barrier 122 and/or wall radiant barrier 130 as describedabove.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the rigid member 146 (i.e., rigidinsulation barrier) is supported in spaced apart relation above lowerroof layer 30 on a plurality of lower space members 32 b and upper rooflayer 24 is supported in spaced apart relation above rigid member 146 todefine outer air channel 148 and lower air channel 150. As with theabove embodiments, both upper 32 a and lower 32 b spacer members have aplurality of holes 34 therein to allow vented air 78 to flowtherethrough. Like the embodiment of FIG. 8, the use of multiple airchannels through which vented air 78 passes is believed to substantiallyreduce the amount of heat that would be otherwise transferred into theattic area 124 of the building.

The embodiment of FIG. 10 shows an alternative configuration for thevented wall and roof system 120 of the present invention. In thisparticular embodiment, one of the air flow channels (in the figure, theouter air channel 148) is utilized to carry water or air in a downwarddirection, shown as arrow 156, so as to turn a vane-like apparatus 158to generate electricity. In the embodiment shown, a water storage tankor other source of water 160 transfers water through discharge pipe 162into the portion of outer air channel 148 having the vane-like apparatus158. Water flows down through the outer air channel, turns the vane-likeapparatus and generates electricity. Preferably, it will generally notbe necessary or perhaps even advisable to convert all of the outer airchannels 148 to this use. Instead, it will typically only be necessaryto convert a few of such channels for use to generate electricity. Waterin the tank 160 can be that which is for use in the building, waterpreviously used in the building or it can be a rainwater collection tankto collect rainwater for this use. This type of system will beparticularly beneficial for use in multi-story buildings. In addition tothe water flow system shown in FIG. 2, the vane apparatus 158 can alsobe placed in an air channel 148/150 such that it is rotated by the flowof air therethrough as a result of the standard venting operationsdescribed herein. To better facilitate the generation of electricity,one or more sections of the channels 148/150 that are designated forthis use can be somewhat narrowed to increase the velocity of the ventedair 78 past the vane apparatus 158.

Although shown in FIG. 7 as being hydraulically connected to the roofventing system, the wall venting system can also be utilized withoutbeing connected to the roof, as shown in FIG. 11. The roof can beprovided with the venting system 10 described above, with its own intakeof exterior air 140, and the wall 126 can be provided with a similarlyconfigured, but hydraulically separate, wall venting system (such asthat shown in FIG. 7). In such a configuration, exterior air 140 wouldenter into the roof air flow channel 36 through the intake vent 68 atfacia member 66 and exterior air 140 would enter into the wall air flowchannel 136 at wall intake vent 138 generally at or near the bottom end164 of wall 126. The vented air 78 from the roof system could be ventedto the environment at ridge vent 98 or reused as described above. Asshown in FIG. 11, the vented air 78 in wall air flow channel 136 isdischarged through a discharge vent 166 at or near the top end 168 ofwall 126. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, in contrast, the discharge vent166 provides the connection between the wall air flow channel 136 androof air flow channel 36 so the vented air can be used in the buildingor discharged from ridge vent 98 as described above for the roof ventingsystem 10.

The vented wall and roof system 120 of the present invention isparticularly beneficial for buildings having metal roofs and walls,although those buildings having roofs and walls made out of othermaterials, including composite materials, will also benefit from thepresent system 120. Typically, the benefits of the convection of theheated air upward through an air flow channel 36 in the roof benefitsfrom the slope of the roof, with an increasing slope generally producingimproved convection results. Because many metal roofs tend to have a lowslope or pitch, suction fans or the like (particularly a small solarfan) can be utilized to pull air through air flow channel 36 to improvethe flow of vented air 78 therein.

While there are shown and described herein certain specific alternativeforms of the invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art that the invention is not so limited, but is susceptible tovarious modifications and rearrangements in design and materials withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, itshould be noted that the present invention is subject to modificationwith regard to the dimensional relationships set forth herein andmodifications in assembly, materials, size, shape, and use. Forinstance, as is readily understood by those skilled in the art, thereare numerous components described herein that can be replaced withequivalent functioning components to accomplish the objectives of thepresent invention.

1. A wall and roof venting system for a wall having a top end and abottom end, said wall venting system comprising: an inner wall layer; anouter wall layer; one or more wall spacers disposed between said innerroof layer and said upper roof layer, said one or more wall spacersconfigured to maintain said outer wall layer in spaced apart relation tosaid inner wall layer and provide a wall air flow channel therebetweenfor receiving vented air from the exterior of the wall, each of said oneor more wall spacers having one or more holes therein to facilitate airflow through said wall air flow channel, said vented air flowinggenerally from said bottom end to said top end of said wall through saidwall air flow channel; and a discharge vent at said top end of saidwall, said discharge vent configured to beneficially disperse and/orutilize said vented air from said air flow channel.
 2. The wall and roofventing system according to claim 1, wherein said discharge ventdischarges said vented air to the atmosphere.
 3. The wall and roofventing system according to claim 1, wherein said discharge ventdischarges said vented air into a roof air flow channel disposed betweena lower roof layer and an upper roof layer of a roof, said roof air flowchannel configured to flow said vented air generally from a bottom endto a top end of said roof.
 4. The wall and roof venting system accordingto claim 3, wherein said roof air flow channel is defined by one or moreroof spacers disposed between said lower roof layer and said upper rooflayer, said roof spacers configured to maintain said upper roof layer inspaced apart relation to said lower roof layer, each of said one or moreroof spacers having one or more holes therein to facilitate air flowthrough said roof air flow channel.
 5. The wall and roof venting systemaccording to claim 4, wherein said upper roof layer further comprises agap generally disposed at or near said top end of said roof and a roofvent component generally disposed at said gap, said roof vent componentconfigured to beneficially disperse and/or utilize said vented air fromsaid roof air flow channel.
 6. The wall and roof venting systemaccording to claim 5, wherein said roof vent component is in fluid flowcommunication with a duct system that distributes said vented air asinterior air.
 7. The wall and roof venting system according to claim 6further comprising one or more fans on said upper roof layer and influid flow communication with said roof air flow channel.
 8. The walland roof venting system according to claim 7, wherein at least one ofsaid fans is configured to draw vented air through said roof air flowchannel.
 9. The wall and roof venting system according to claim 7,wherein at least one of said fans is configured to discharge air intosaid air flow channel.
 10. The wall and roof venting system according toclaim 3, wherein said upper roof layer further comprises a gap generallydisposed at or near said top end of said roof and a roof vent componentgenerally disposed at said gap, said roof vent component configured tobeneficially disperse and/or utilize said vented air from said roof airflow channel.
 11. The wall and roof venting system according to claim10, wherein said roof vent component is in fluid flow communication witha duct system that distributes said vented air as interior air.
 12. Thewall and roof venting system according to claim 4 further comprising arigid member disposed between a pair of adjacent roof spacers, saidrigid member defining a roof outer air channel and a roof inner airchannel between said lower roof layer and said upper roof layer.
 13. Thewall and roof venting system according to claim 12 further comprising arigid member disposed between a pair of adjacent wall spacers, saidrigid member defining a wall outer air channel and a wall inner airchannel between said inner wall layer and said outer roof layer.
 14. Thewall and roof venting system according to claim 13 further comprising avane apparatus in at least one of said roof outer air channel, said roofinner air channel, said wall outer air channel and said wall inner airchannel, said vane apparatus configured to generate electricity.
 15. Thewall and roof venting system according to claim 14, wherein said vaneapparatus is hydraulically connected to a source of water configured torotate said vane apparatus.
 16. A wall and roof venting system for awall having a top end and a bottom end and a roof having a top end and abottom end, said wall venting system comprising: an inner wall layer, anouter wall layer, one or more wall spacers disposed between said innerwall layer and said outer wall layer and a discharge vent at or nearsaid top end of said wall, said one or more wall spacers configured tomaintain said outer wall layer in spaced apart relation to said innerwall layer and provide a wall air flow channel therebetween forreceiving vented air from the exterior of the wall, each of said one ormore wall spacers having one or more holes therein to facilitate airflow through said wall air flow channel, said vented air flowinggenerally from said bottom end to said top end of said wall through saidwall air flow channel, said discharge vent configured to beneficiallydisperse and/or utilize said vented air from said wall air flow channel;and a lower roof layer, an upper roof layer, one or more roof spacersdisposed between said lower roof layer and said upper roof layer, a gapgenerally disposed at or near a top end of said roof and a roof ventcomponent generally disposed at said gap, said roof spacers configuredto maintain said upper roof layer in spaced apart relation to said lowerroof layer and define a roof air flow channel therebetween, each of saidone or more roof spacers having one or more holes therein to facilitateair flow through said roof air flow channel, said roof air flow channelconfigured to flow said vented air generally from a bottom end to saidtop end of said roof, said roof vent component configured tobeneficially disperse and/or utilize said vented air from said roof airflow channel.
 17. The wall and roof venting system according to claim16, wherein said roof vent component is in fluid flow communication witha duct system that distributes said vented air as interior air.
 18. Thewall and roof venting system according to claim 16 further comprising arigid member disposed between a pair of adjacent roof spacers to definea roof outer air channel and a roof inner air channel between said lowerroof layer and said upper roof layer and/or disposed between a pair ofadjacent wall spacers to define a wall outer air channel and a wallinner air channel between said inner wall layer and said outer walllayer.
 19. A wall and roof venting system for a wall having a top endand a bottom end and a roof having a top end and a bottom end, said wallventing system comprising: an inner layer; an outer layer; a rigidmember disposed between said inner layer and said outer layer; one ormore first spacers disposed between said inner layer and said rigidmember to maintain said inner layer and said rigid member in spacedapart relation and define an inner air channel therebetween for flow ofvented air therein, each of said first spacers having one or more holestherein to facilitate flow of vented air in said inner air channel; andone or more second spacers disposed between said rigid member and saidouter layer to maintain said rigid member and said outer layer in spacedapart relation and define an outer air channel therebetween for flow ofvented air therein, each of said second spacers having one or more holestherein to facilitate flow of vented air in said outer air channel. 20.The wall and roof venting system according to claim 19, wherein saidvented air is configured to generally flow from said bottom end of saidwall to the top end of said roof.